Divine Books

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. My review may be found in "Art History" vol. 21, no. 3 (September 1998), 445-48. In the reiew I mention: "It offers the first extensive twentieth century analysis of Reni's personality and environment. Spear's relatively non-reductive research methodology is an interesting shift of study 'from the "outside" to the "inside"' of the subject (Spear p. 9). This method is used in addition to the standard revisionist focus on the artist from his/her own time, rather than from our time. 'The "Divine" Guido' is a welcome addition to the new historicist studies from publishers such as Yale University, Cambridge University, Prentice Hall and Thames & Hudson."

I have been reading church history books this summer, and this is by far the best read I've come across yet. Limberis first describes Constantine's founding of Constantinople, and explains how moving the capital from Rome enabled him to create a new imperial civic religion-Christianity hybrid. She shows how imperial civic religion morphed into a Christianized version, and then made its way into the church (as in, into church buildings and services) under Theodosius and especially Pulcheria. She examines previous patristic writings on Mary, the worship of goddesses Rhea, Tyche, and others, as well as imperial panergyic to show that the reverence for Mary which developed in Constantinople was a unique blend of all of them. A good synthesis of a wide range of material.
I a amateur when it comes to Church history, but I found this book exciting, clear, and compelling. I would recommend it. I don't think you would be offended by it even if you are a devout Catholic or Eastern Orthodox, because her focus is not on the veneration of Mary per se, but the form that developed in Constantinople from the fourth century onwards.

Understanding the demand of `strong epistemic evidence' as inherently present, contained and presupposed in the justification of the doctrines of creation, sin and accountability as understood within the Christian framework; explained by the Apostle Paul in his introduction to the Christian worldview in the book of Romans; is the central project contained in Divine Hiddenness and Human Reason. Dr. Schellenberg's sets himself to provide an argument against the existence of God operating within the criteria upheld by Christianity itself. His argument is given in this manner: A perfectly loving God would want a relationship with us. Any given relation presupposes knowability or knowledge of the other being. A relationship requires that we believe in God. The belief in God as well as relationship presupposes the existence of God. The need for a relationship and the need for belief in God presuppose our ability to know God. Therefore a perfectly loving God would give sufficient evidence for belief to everyone. The evidence actually available is not sufficient therefore a perfectly loving God does not exist.
This conclusion serves two purposes: 1) to do away with the conception of agnosticism and the idea of withheld belief or suspension of judgment. The lack strong epistemic evidence is itself a strong argument against the existence of God. 2) The rising of consciousness within the Christian apologists, whose failure to recognize how weak epistemic evidence allows the legitimacy of reasonable nonbelief and therefore the epistemic parity between belief in God or non-God.
The reasonableness of nonbelief relies upon the simple expectation that God's existence ought to be more obvious than what it is. Specially, in light of the Christian claims concerning guilt and punishment for one's own failure to know and acknowledge God. If the belief in God as a perfectly just being is to be upheld, the need exist of showing how God's judgment is justified in light of sufficient evidence. Supposing that God has provided sufficient evidence, why have we not discovered? Two possible scenarios can be given: 1) if one has the ability and willingness to know, then one should have come to know such evidence (this is the scenario upheld by Dr. Schellenberg, where willingness is presupposed). 2) There is ability but unwillingness to seek and use one's epistemic faculties to come to understand the present evidence. This is a scenario that has not been examined by Dr. Schellenberg. In any case the main point made in this book still remains as valid; if God exist, there should be sufficient evidence. This is said in contrast to Alvin Plantiga, John Hick and Richard Swinburne, who in the case of Plantiga denies the need for proof or `strong epistemic evidence' and on the other in the case of Hick and Swinburne the `epistemic distance' that implies a Divine ambiguous presence of God in the World. Both of these arguments in addition to the free will argument are examined and shown to be inadequate to rebuke the argument postulated by Dr. Schellenberg.
Dr. Schellenberg's argument cuts at the heart of Christianity: if there is not clarity then one cannot be held accountable to know. Since sin is unbelief and unbelief is due to lack of knowledge and lack of knowledge is due to lack of evidence, how can one escape unbelief? Upon what grounds is one to be considered accountable for such charges? Unless strong epistemic evidence is provided for God's existence, the idea of sin and redemption are rendered meaningless.

Isaak August Dorner, one of the greatest theologians of the 19th century, is not as well known today as he should be. If enough people read this great essay of his, that may change. In it, Dorner offers a thorough and fascinating account of the historical development of the classical doctrines of God's immutability and simplicity, while, at the same time, presenting sharp criticisms of that doctrine. Dorner shows that any account of God's nature that is adequate for a sound piety must represent God in such a way that the world can have a value for Him, and this entails that He be able to create a world of free beings whose choices He can neither determine nor know in advance. This, in turn, entails that the actions of creatures must be able to have "a creaturely impact on the divine decree." Dorner shows that allowing God to change with respect to His knowledge and will in no way derogates from God's perfection. In particular, the ethical nature of God is safegaurded since, even though God changes His specific will towards a creature according to the creature's behavior (i.e. God will respond differently to Mother Teresa than to Hitler), God's actions always flow from His perfectly good nature; He always responds to creatures in the way the befits the most perfect possible moral gooness.

The historical section of Dorner's essay is rendered particularly delightful from the fact that he not only discusses such prominent figures as Augustine, Aquinas, and Scotus, but also lesser known protestant Scholastics, such as Quenstedt and Gerhard, as well as the acute 17th century Socinian, Conrad Vorst. This alone makes the book a treat for anyone interested in little explored aspects of the history of theology.

All in all this essay is a profound meditation on some of the most difficult and central aspects of Christian theology. I cannot recommend it highly enough. The translation itself is fluid and very readable, and the book is prefaced by a penetrating discussion, by Robert Williams, of Dorner and of the content of this essay. My only criticism is directed at the cheap book binding process that Fortress Press currently employes. I have only had this book for a little over a year, have not subjected it to any unusual sorts of stress, and yet every page of it is now loose from its back. The same thing has happened, in short order, to all the paper back books I possess published by Fortress Press. It is unfortunate that a translation this good of an essay this great should be treated in so shabbily by Fortress Press. So great a Lutheran Father as Dorner deserves better from a press devoted to preserving and furthering the Lutheran heritage.

Divine Inspiration is an unusual coffee table book because the pictures do tell a thousand words, and because the text is helpful and interesting, not just filler. It is a good, respectful introduction to the Yoruba religion and its many offspring in the Americas.

This anthology has almost 300 poems about the life of Jesus. The variety of poets and poems is impressive. Because it is arranged chronologically, instead of by author, it is easy for the reader to find poems focusing on a specific part of Jesus' life. This gives the reader the opportunity to discover new works that can enrich their spiritual lives and their appreciation of world literature.

The great mainstream Christian denominations in America are experiencing troubled times. Their membership and influence over the past century has been dramatically declining due to a loss of mission focus, societal accommodation, and institutional rigidity. These cornerstones of American society are losing out in the competition for the American soul to other more energetic, biblically faithful sects and denominations.

Divine Institutions explains this phenomenon by examining the process of growth and decline that denominations undergo, including reasons why some continue to expand while others contract. The author provides detailed statistics, contemporary examples, and historical analysis to support his assertions. Six stages starting with gestation and ending in decline are outlined in full detail.

The most influential denominations in America, past and present, are examined and compared including: Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Assemblies of God, and Congregationalists. Divine Institutions provides the reader a thoughtful and unique understanding of denominational growth and decline in America and the causes for this phenomenon.

I bought this book for my son and nephew and couldnt put it down myself. It is kind of like Chicken Soup for the Soul with different stories of how God has intervened in ordinary lives. Gives you lots of hope for all. Looking forward to the 2nd volume

Miracles in reverse--killing people in diverse ways, such as all the water in a bum's body being changed to wine or a gift of bread and fish multiplying and making a homeless woman's body explode. Facing whatever is causing these miracles are a personable female Episcopalian priest and an enigmatic Romany man who runs a shop selling arcane books and exotic blends of tea. Throw into the mix a hot-tempered fundamentalist white-supremist TV preacher, an opinionated woman film editor, a monk long dead, and assorted well-drawn lesser characters. An intriguing book from this new author. I'm looking forward to his next book, and hoping it's a sequel, so I can revisit this interesting pair.

For the addict in my family, this book describes him to a "T". Mark's recommendations and his warnings on what will happen next have been very helpful. I highly recommend this book.